Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department will review the results of funding given to local authorities for road repairs under the Plan for Change.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
For the 2025/26 financial year, the Government is providing nearly £1.6 billion for highway maintenance, an increase of £500 million compared to 2024/25. It is the responsibility of individual highway authorities to maintain and improve their networks, based upon their local knowledge, circumstances, and priorities. Funding is not ringfenced, and it is a matter for local authorities to determine how the money is best spent.
As of Monday 24 March, the Department has written to all local highway authorities advising them that 25% of their uplift in maintenance funding is contingent on them demonstrating to Government that they are complying with certain criteria aimed at driving best practice and continual improvement in highways maintenance practice. All authorities will have to publish information online by the end of June, and share further information with the Department by the end of October. This will allow local people to hold their councils to account for their performance in maintaining their highway networks. The Department will also review the information provided by local highway authorities when it is submitted and will say more on this in due course.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of AI road cameras at reducing road accidents in high risk areas.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of AI road cameras at reducing road crashes in high-risk areas.
However, trials of new technology including the use of AI cameras in small scale operational activity has been carried out under the Roads Policing Review. Evidence from these is being considered.
National Highways has also worked with police forces to understand the role of technology to detect and enforce mobile phone and seatbelt violations.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has issued guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) bus companies on the pricing of children's fares.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At present, bus services in England outside London are predominantly run on a commercial basis by private operators, and the level at which bus operators set their fares is a commercial decision.
The government is committed to delivering better bus services for passengers, including making them more reliable and affordable, because we know how important this is for communities. The Department for Transport has issued to guidance to local transport authorities and bus operators to support the development of local Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs). This makes clear that fares policy should be an integral part of BSIPs, and that they should set out ambitions and proposals for extending youth fares for younger people.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to give people with disabilities additional rights to use electric scooters in public spaces.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is determined to seize the opportunities of emerging micromobility and tackle any negative impacts which may arise. We actively monitor the industry and the new vehicle types and business models being developed while carefully considering policy steps to ensure these are operating safely and in the interests of our communities. A key part of these considerations will be how new technologies can benefit disabled people.